Environmental monitoring system and method for real time monitoring of environmental parameters in a structure

Abstract

There is provided a method for real time monitoring of environmental parameter(s) in an interior of a structure. The method includes providing an environmental monitoring system with a microprocessor system, one or more sensors, a power supply, and a visual feedback display assembly. The method includes installing the sensor(s) in the interior of the structure, and collecting, with the sensor(s), environmental data relating to the environmental parameter(s) of the interior of the structure, to obtain collected environmental data. The method includes processing the collected environmental data, and comparing, with the microprocessor system, the processed environmental data to one or more predetermined values, to obtain environmental data results. The method includes alerting, with the visual feedback display assembly, one or more visual signals corresponding to one or more of, in-specification environmental parameter(s) of the interior of the structure, and out-of-specification environmental parameter(s), of the interior of the structure.

1 . An environmental monitoring method for real time monitoring of one or more environmental parameters in an interior of a structure, the environmental monitoring method comprising the steps of:
 providing an environmental monitoring system comprising:
 a microprocessor system; 
 one or more sensors connected to the microprocessor system; 
 a power supply coupled to the microprocessor system; and 
 a visual feedback display assembly coupled to the microprocessor system; 
   installing the one or more sensors of the environmental monitoring system in the interior of the structure;   collecting, with the one or more sensors, environmental data relating to one or more environmental parameters of the interior of the structure, to obtain collected environmental data;   processing, with the microprocessor system of the environmental monitoring system, the collected environmental data, to obtain processed environmental data, and comparing, with the microprocessor system, the processed environmental data to one or more predetermined values, to obtain environmental data results; and   alerting, with the visual feedback display assembly, one or more visual signals corresponding to one or more of, one or more in-specification environmental parameters of the interior of the structure, and one or more out-of-specification environmental parameters of the interior of the structure.   
     
     
         2 . The environmental monitoring method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing the environmental monitoring system further comprises, providing the environmental monitoring system comprising the visual feedback display assembly comprising:
 a multicolor light feedback display assembly mounted exterior to the structure, the multicolor light feedback display assembly having a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) color signal lights corresponding to the one or more environmental parameters of the interior of the structure.   
     
     
         3 . The environmental monitoring method of  claim 2 , wherein the step of providing the environmental monitoring system comprising the visual feedback display assembly further comprises, providing the plurality of light emitting diode (LED) color signal lights housed in a domed housing apparatus. 
     
     
         4 . The environmental monitoring method of  claim 2 , wherein the step of providing the environmental monitoring system comprising the visual feedback display assembly further comprises, providing the plurality of light emitting diode (LED) color signal lights comprising:
 a green color to indicate the one or more in-specification environmental parameters; and   a red color, a blue color, a yellow color, and a purple color, each indicating one of the one or more out-of-specification environmental parameters.   
     
     
         5 . The environmental monitoring method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of collecting, with the one or more sensors, the environmental data relating to one or more environmental parameters further comprises, collecting, with the one or more sensors, the environmental data relating to the one or more environmental parameters comprising:
 a temperature of the interior of the structure;   a humidity of the interior of the structure; and   a dew point of the interior of the structure calculated based on the temperature and the humidity.   
     
     
         6 . The environmental monitoring method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing the environmental monitoring system further comprises, providing the environmental monitoring system comprising one or more of:
 a global positioning system (GPS), to provide a global positioning system (GPS) location of the structure;   a motion detector device, to sense a motion of the structure;   an interface for a collective network of connected devices that facilitates communication between the connected devices, to provide remote monitoring on a remote device;   a wireless network, to allow the environmental data to be collected remotely; and   a short-range wireless technology, to exchange the environmental data results between fixed devices and mobile devices.   
     
     
         7 . The environmental monitoring method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing the environmental monitoring system further comprises, providing the environmental monitoring system in the interior of the structure, and alerting, to a mobile device outside of the structure one or more of the one or more out-of-specification environmental parameters. 
     
     
         8 . The environmental monitoring method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of collecting the environmental data relating to the one or more environmental parameters of the interior of the structure further comprises, collecting the environmental data of the interior of the structure, where the structure comprises one of:
 a vehicle, including an aircraft, a travel trailer, a rotorcraft, a watercraft, a train, or a truck; or,   a building, including a dwelling structure, or a warehouse.   
     
     
         9 . An environmental monitoring method for real time monitoring of one or more environmental parameters in an interior of an aircraft, the environmental monitoring method comprising the steps of:
 providing an environmental monitoring system comprising:
 a microprocessor system; 
 one or more sensors connected to the microprocessor system; 
 a power supply coupled to the microprocessor system; and 
 a multicolor light feedback display assembly coupled to the microprocessor system; 
   installing the one or more sensors of the environmental monitoring system in the interior of the aircraft;   collecting, with the one or more sensors, environmental data relating to one or more environmental parameters of the interior of the aircraft, to obtain collected environmental data, the one or more environmental parameters comprising one or more of:
 a temperature of the interior of the aircraft; 
 a humidity of the interior of the aircraft; and 
 a dew point of the interior of the aircraft calculated based on the temperature and the humidity; 
   processing, with the microprocessor system of the environmental monitoring system, the collected environmental data, to obtain processed environmental data, and comparing, with the microprocessor system, the processed environmental data to one or more predetermined values, to obtain environmental data results; and   alerting, with the multicolor light feedback display assembly, one or more light emitting diode (LED) color signal lights corresponding to one or more of, one or more in-specification environmental parameters of the interior of the aircraft, and one or more out-of-specification environmental parameters of the interior of the aircraft.   
     
     
         10 . The environmental monitoring method of  claim 9 , wherein the step of providing the environmental monitoring system further comprises, providing the environmental monitoring system comprising the multicolor light feedback display assembly further comprising:
 mounting the multicolor light feedback display assembly to a mounting ring on a nosewheel anchor block positioned in front of a nose of the aircraft.   
     
     
         11 . The environmental monitoring method of  claim 9 , wherein the step of providing the environmental monitoring system further comprises, providing the one or more light emitting diode (LED) color signal lights comprising:
 a green color to indicate the one or more in-specification environmental parameters; and   a red color, a blue color, a yellow color, and a purple color, each indicating one of the one or more out-of-specification environmental parameters.   
     
     
         12 . The environmental monitoring method of  claim 9 , wherein the step of providing the environmental monitoring system further comprises, providing the environmental monitoring system comprising one or more of:
 a global positioning system (GPS), to provide a global positioning system (GPS) location of the aircraft;   a motion detector device, to sense a motion of the aircraft;   an interface for a collective network of connected devices that facilitates communication between the connected devices, to provide remote monitoring on a remote device;   a wireless network, to allow the environmental data to be collected remotely; and   a short-range wireless technology, to exchange the environmental data results between fixed devices and mobile devices.   
     
     
         13 . The environmental monitoring method of  claim 9 , wherein the step of providing the environmental monitoring system further comprises, providing the environmental monitoring system in the interior of the aircraft, and alerting, to a mobile device outside of the aircraft, one or more of the one or more out-of-specification environmental parameters. 
     
     
         14 . The environmental monitoring method of  claim 9 , wherein the step of providing the environmental monitoring system further comprises, enclosing the one or more sensors of the environmental monitoring system in a sensor enclosure, and securing the one or more sensors in the sensor enclosure to the interior of the aircraft, via one or more securing elements. 
     
     
         15 . An environmental monitoring system for real time monitoring of one or more environmental parameters in an interior of a structure, the environmental monitoring system comprising:
 one or more sensors positioned in the interior of the structure, the one or more sensors configured to collect environmental data relating to the one or more environmental parameters of the interior of the structure, to obtain collected environmental data;   a microprocessor system connected to the one or more sensors, the microprocessor system configured to process the collected environmental data, to obtain processed environmental data, and the microprocessor system configured to compare the processed environmental data to one or more predetermined values, to obtain environmental data results;   a power supply coupled to the microprocessor system; and   a visual feedback display assembly coupled to the microprocessor system, the visual feedback display assembly configured to provide an alert signal using one or more visual signals corresponding to one or more of, one or more in-specification environmental parameters of the interior of the structure, and one or more out-of-specification environmental parameters of the interior of the structure.   
     
     
         16 . The environmental monitoring system of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more environmental parameters comprise one or more of:
 a temperature of the interior of the structure;   a humidity of the interior of the structure; and   a dew point of the interior of the structure calculated based on the temperature and the humidity.   
     
     
         17 . The environmental monitoring system of  claim 15 , wherein the visual feedback display assembly comprises a multicolor light feedback display assembly mounted exterior to the structure, the multicolor light feedback display assembly having a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) color signal lights corresponding to the one or more environmental parameters of the interior of the structure. 
     
     
         18 . The environmental monitoring system of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of light emitting diode (LED) color signal lights are housed in a domed housing apparatus, and comprise:
 a green color to indicate the one or more in-specification environmental parameters; and   a red color, a blue color, a yellow color, and a purple color, each indicating one of the one or more out-of-specification environmental parameters.   
     
     
         19 . The environmental monitoring system of  claim 15 , wherein the structure comprises one of,
 a vehicle, including an aircraft, a travel trailer, a rotorcraft, a watercraft, a train, or a truck; or   a building, including a dwelling structure, or a warehouse.   
     
     
         20 . The environmental monitoring system of  claim 19 , wherein the structure comprises the aircraft, and the visual feedback display assembly is mounted to a mounting ring on a nosewheel anchor block positioned in front of a nose of the aircraft.